Wrexham murder trial jury told of blood spattered cubicle

A MURDER trial jury has heard of the extensive blood staining found in a toilet cubicle where a badly injured man was found.

Forensic scientist Andrew Davidson told Mold Crown Court his findings provided support for the proposition that defendant Francesco Prevete was involved in the attack upon amateur boxer Craig Maddocks, rather than finding him already injured and trying to assist him.

Giving evidence on the fifth day of the trial, Mr Davidson said he believed the first injury to be inflicted was to the neck, when both people were standing up with the cubicle door shut.

The person who inflicted the injuries was standing behind him and he was then turned which had caused blood to pour out onto three walls.

Mr Maddocks was found to have 52 wounds said to have been caused by a flick knife.

The prosecution say he was subjected to a frenzied attack in the toilets at The Cambrian Vaults pub on Town Hill, Wrexham.

Mr Maddocks, 34, from Llay, died of “shock and haemorrhaging” brought on by multiple wounds to the neck and chest.

Francesco John Prevete, 46, of Weale Court, Wrexham, denies murdering Mr Maddocks in the early hours of June 26 last year.

Mr Davidson said that if Prevete had been trying to pick Mr Maddocks up off the floor, he would have expected equally heavy blood staning to both hands but there was heavier blood staning to his right hand.

He suggested the blood he found on Prevete’s left palm was consistent with his left hand being closed, as might be expected if he was gripping a knife in his hand.

The scientist said he found a handprint in blood on the upper left sleeve of Prevete’s jacket.

The blood was that of Mr Maddocks. It was made by a left hand, with the fingers directed away from the jacket. It could not have been made by Prevete’s own hand, he said, and was not consistent with the defendant trying to pick him up.

The blood on Prevete’s trousers and shoes suggested blood had dropped from Mr Maddocks when he was standing or semi standing, not lying on the floor.

He said the inside of the cubicle door had contact staining from a bloodstained hand and a contact stain which was consistent with someone leaning against the door and holding it closed, not having kicked the door open.

Mr Davidson said the blood distribution showed that there had not been “a frantic struggle.”

The jury heard how Prevete’s suit jacket was heavily saturated with blood to the front and to the right sleeve. Blood had soaked through to the shirt cuff.

The trousers showed that blood had dropped onto it and onto the shoes – the volume of blood indicating a significant injury.

He had examined Mr Maddocks’ jeans and t-shirt and he said a number of the injuries had been caused when the t-shirt was pulled up over his head.

There were two stab type holes in the left leg of the jeans which matched the injuries to the left leg.